Paving block



Oct. 25, 1932. I F PURDY 1,884,216

PAVING BLOCK Filed March '7, .1929

John F. Purdq 3 on a road bed.

Patented Oct. 25, 1932 cameos-raise;

PATENT OFFICE ironn RPURDY, or AKRON, 01110, ASSIG'NOR 'ro THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION" OF OHIO ravine BLOCK.

, Application filed March 7,

. shocks will be transmitted to the road bed beneath the block. 1

Another object of the invention is to provi do an improved paving block that will retain its normal configuration during its use Another objectof the invention is to provide an improved means for retaining paving blocks in assembled relation upon a road bed.

In constructing roadways of paving blocks, it is very desirable that the block h the following characteristics: (1) that the under surface of the block be firmly anchored upon the road bed; (2) that the block be resistant to lateral expansion when a shock is imposed thereupon; (3) that'the block be capable of absorbing practically all of the shock thereby minimizing the force transmit ed to the road bed beneath the block. Ordinarily paving blocks, such as tnose comprising brick, granite and like hard materials, while being anchored sufficiently on the road bed and also being highly resistant to lateral expansion, transmit practically all of the shocks imposed thereupon to the a road bed therebeneath- As a result, the road bed, in certain localities, frequently becomes broken or depressed relative to ad alcent parts thereof. Besides this, some of the I) blocks are shattered by the continued pounding of vehicles thereon. Other paving blocks composed of more resilient material as, for example, sand and asphalt, while not as hard as brick or granite blocks, still transmit a high percentage of shock to the road bed. Also the shocks frequently deform the.

blocks permanently.

1929. Serial No. 344,970. A

avoiding compression of the rubber by the band, but also preventing lateral expansion thereof. It has been determined that ina blockofthis character, the rubber transmits to the road bed a very small percentage of the shocks imposed upon it by vehicles.

IAlso, the lower surface of the-blockis retained firmly anchored because the band prevents expansion of the lower portion of the block. The paving block thus provided has all the aforesaid -qualifications considered a highly desirable.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may now be had. ,to the ac companying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a hexagonal paving block constructed according to the invention,

illustrating the manner in which the block is interlocked at one corner with adjacent paving blocks;

7 Fig. 2 is a side view, partly cross-sectional, of the constructionshown by Fig. 1, taken fromthe right side thereof;

'Fig. 3 is a plan view, on a smaller scale,

of a section of a roadway provided with paving blocks, constructed according to the invention; and

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line IV- IV of Fig.3.

Referringto Figs. 1 and 2, a paving block 10 is provided which is composed of a rubber body portion 11 of hexagonal shape, having an upper surface 12 and a lower surface 13.

A metallic band 15 also of hexa 'onal sha e is disposed about the sides of thehexagonal block 11 and is partially embedded therein, as indicated at 16. At the corners of the hexagon, the band, intermediate its upper and lower edges, is provided with slots 17 of triangular shape. 7 I

In manufacturing the block, the rubber first is formed approximately to hexagonal shape from raw or uncured rubber, and the band 15 is disposed thereabout and partially embedded therein. The band, and rubber block'now are disposed in-a suitable vulcanizer and the rubber is cured under suflicient heat and pressure to causethe block and band to behfirmly united in. assembled relationf' As a result of vulcanizing the rubber block While disposed within the band 15, the rubber is not under compression but is merely retained by the band from lateral expansion. If desirable, the engaging surfaces of the band and rubber block may be so treated before vulcanization of the rubber as to pro vide a bonded union between such surfaces in the finished article.

The blocks are assembled upon the road bed of the roadway in the manner illustrated by Fig. 3. Triangular plates 20 are disposed at the corners of the blocks in the slots 17 there in, thus retaining them parallel to the plane of the road bed, The crevices between the blocks are filledwith some resilient material such as soft gum or asphalt filler 22, which permits lateral expansion of the parts of the block above the bands 15 yet effectively seals the crevices at all times. Owing to the fact that the blocks are vulcanized within the band 15, the lower surfaces 13 thereof are retained parallel to the band thus resulting in the blocks resting. uniformly upon the road bed.

When vehlcles operating over the roadway impose shocks upon one of the blocks, the

portions of the block vertically above the the shock transmitted to the road bed is only about 6.8% of the total shock imposed upon the block.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that a paving block has been provided which practically absorbs the entire shocks imposed upon it by vehicles moving thereover. It is also apparent that owing to the fact that the rubber body of the block is vulcanized in assembled relation with ametallic band encircling its sides that the lower surface of the rubber body is retained substantially parallel with the road bed and thereafter anchored upon it. Also, the provision of slotsin the corners of the hexagonal bands and triangular plates adapted to be disposedwithin the slots affords a very simple but effective means for locking the blocks together on the road bed in parallel relation therewith.

Although I have illustrated but the preferred form of the invention and described that form in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited but that various modificafacilitating interlocking one block with another.

2. A paving block having a hexagonal body composed of resilient material and a metal band disposed about the hexagonal periphery of 'the body, said band at its corners having slots intermediate its upper and lower edges for facilitating interlocking one block with another.

3. A pavement composed of a plurality of blocks disposed upon a road bed, each block having a resilient body portion, and a metallic band disposed about the sides thereof, said bands intermediate their upper and lower edges having spaced slots, the slots in the bands of one block being disposed adjacent the slots in the bands of adjacent blocks, and plates disposed in the slots interlocking one block with another.

4. A pavement comprising a plurality of blocks, each composed of a hexagonal rubber portion, and metallic band disposed about the hexagonal periphery thereof, each of the bands having slots in the corners thereof, and plates disposed in the slots of adjacent blocks interlocking them in assembled relation.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

Signed at Akron, in the County of Summit and State of Ohio, U. S. A., this 6th day of March, 1929.

JOHN F. PUB-DY. 

